A Collective Concoction of Potential
by wimmie
Summary: Friendly reminder that Snape had to teach Luna Lovegood Potions too.
1. A Scattered Genius

Failures. All failures.

He had only been generous enough to let the students have one week to study the components of _Runco,_ a simple potion that assisted in killing weeds, but upon meeting the wavering glances from twelve pairs of ignorant students, it was obvious that allowing extended study had been an utter mistake.

Severus Snape was not fond of making mistakes.

He hovered over the students and watched them smash instead of slit, pound instead of mix, and boil instead of simmer the ingredients as each batch brewed into a collective concoction of wasted potential. His hands clutched the edges of his robe. His eyes turned to slits as they venomously scavenged every student for an excuse to send someone to detention.

Until his eyes found one.

Luna Lovegood. He hasn't had her in his class before. So she was a first year. And unlike any of the other students who were failing miserably to do their assignment, this young girl didn't seem to be attempting the potion at all. Snape's scowl deepened.

" _What_ … are you doing, Miss Lovegood?" He asked, his voice dangerously cold. His eyes rolled as he prepared for the usual excuse. _Oh this is too hard, Oh I don't understand,_ and all that rubbish. No doubt she'd start to cry. The worst students do. But as he mentally prepared to deal with a hissy fit, what he received was an entirely different matter.

"I decided not to make this potion, Professor. It has bad energy." Lovegood absentmindedly responded while not even giving him a sideways glance. Snape opened his mouth, ready to present a fitting punishment, but his words transfigured to silence as he processed her… direct answer.

"You… what?" He asked. Surrounding students began to turn their heads. From the sound of it, Snape almost sounded baffled. But Luna paid no mind,

"Bad energy. Bad." She stated simply and finally turned her eyes towards the Professor as if he was the only person in the room. "But I revitalized this flower for you from the ingredients and you can put it in your hair."

She stood up. _Stood up,_ plucked the small daisy, and held it to the Professor. It was now a complete living specimen. Snape briefly pondered if this was a practical joke. Yes, it would be the most likely scenario. Surely, this girl had plucked a common flower from the Herbology room and brought it in class to "revitalize" in class in a pathetic attempt to pass. That had to be it. But as he stared at the flower he noticed a small mark on one of the leaves. It was same mark he himself had used to specify the type of plant used for the lesson. His eyebrows scrunched. Surely, a student replacing a specimen just for the sake of receiving a good mark was likely, but to replicate his own mark to identify the plant? Only Potter had that kind of cunning. That could only mean... this live flower was part of _his_ own lesson. Snape slowly glanced from the tip of the student's pale silver hair down to the traces of ingredients in her frail hands- no indication of sarcasm.

She was… serious?

"I think this flower would look nice on you. Keeps away the Wrackspurts, you know." She continued as if casually mentioning that you weren't going to do an assignment and instead do something completely out of the curriculum was something completely normal.

Snape just stood. For a few seconds, there was nothing he could respond with, which was rare for the old Professor. This student… this Lovegood had completely and utterly confused him.

It was lucky that the class bell rang at that moment before any of the other students could make that connection. He suddenly turned his head, as if waking up from a trance before walking away from the students and demanding they leave their work at the tables for him to grade. All of the students rushed out, and luckily didn't dare to try and look at him in the eye. Well… all except one.

"Have a good day, Professor." Miss Lovegood chirped before slipping out of the classroom.

Snape didn't respond. Instead, he turned his focus towards the only live daisy left behind. He inspected the small plant for any traces of death, but couldn't find any. It became certain. Luna Lovegood, a first year had somehow mastered a potion only taught to the select few students in their seventh year of Hogwarts. It should be impossible. But here he held the proof between his index finger and thumb. He had a _genius_ in his class!

If this mind could be molded…

A small and rare smile emerged. Maybe it was for the greater good if he remained the Potions teacher this year.


	2. Dissapointments And Snakeroot

It did not last even a month.

"Miss Lovegood... did you steal the entire class' supply of snakeroot?" Snape stood over the silver haired girl's desk, his face twisted to that of a gargoyle- frozen and perpetually furious.

The rest of the class immediately stirred. Some students began to take notes without necessarily realizing that they were on the wrong page. Others began reviewing for the next pop quiz, even though none particularly knew which chapter they were supposed to be reviewing. It didn't matter though. As far as they were concerned, as long as they looked busy they didn't have to worry about that icy glare. In that regard, the other students were grateful for Luna Lovegood, though none dared to express their thanks let alone talk to her. Perhaps they were shy.

Luna didn't mind. Most of her friends were shy at first, but if she was patient they'll come around. At least, that's what her father told her. And she believed him completely. So when she first walked into the musty but surprisingly clean classroom she was thrilled to see her shy friends hovering over the desk. Though it was strange. It usually took at least three years before people warmed up to her. She dismissed the thought and proudly skipped towards her new friends only to find them scatter towards their own desks as soon as she got near. Was she too forward? No, of course not. They only want to make it back to their seats before the bell. Understandable really.

So the whole experience was all but forgotten... until Snape burst through the door.

" _Which one of you did it?_ " His voice echoed throughout the room in sporadic bursts that reminded Luna of fireworks, only not nearly as entertaining. "One of you miserable rats stole snakeroot from my office! I'll have you all know that particular root is very expensive and once I find out who stole it I will make sure that person is _expelled_!"

She frowned as she watched the man leer over other students which was precisely what caught his attention and gravitate by her desk. It didn't take long for Luna to realize he probably suspected her, but that wasn't a problem really. After all, she never touched Snakeroot in all her life. What was far more important was her teacher's attitude. Snape wasn't the most kind teacher in the school, that was clear enough, but if there was one thing that was a positive in Luna's eyes was that when Snape was grumpy (which was all the time) he never resorted to screaming. He seemed to have far more control, at least compared to the teachers she had in the past. Her old teachers would had never allowed her to revitalize a flower, much less talk about things outside of the lesson like Wrackspurts.

So when Luna found herself being yelled at again by the one teacher she thought would have treated her different, she was rather disappointed honestly. It didn't help that while he ranted he kept his gaze specifically on her.

Now, while Luna tried her hardest to see the best in others she knew far too well how others perceived her. Eccentric Luna. Crazy Luna. And her personal favorite, Loony Luna. Those were all clever nicknames by her friends and were easy to proudly accept on good days and gladly ignore on bad days. She was far used to it.

But being perceived as a thief was an entirely different matter. Luna watched her teacher turn his head slowly and waited for an opening. After several minutes of being on the receiving end of his accusing stare, Snape finally asked her once more.

"Well, Miss Lovegood? Did you steal my snakeroot? I'll have _you_ know I do not tolerate thieves in my class."

That did it. She squinted her eyes ever so slightly and squared her shoulders. Then with one smooth motion, Luna pushed her chair back just enough for her to place one foot and then the other on top of her seat. Soon she was standing completely on the chair almost meeting Snape's gaze. The students all gasped and began whispering to each other, but Luna ignored them as she spoke directly towards her teacher.

"I would never steal anything, Professor." Before she could even see his reaction, Luna turned towards the class,

"Has anyone seen any Snakeroot today?"

"Miss Lov-."

"If it has been stolen, the thief shouldn't have gone too far."

"Miss Lovego-"

"All we need to know is what is looks like. Professor, can you tel-"

" _Miss Lovegood!_ " Luna paused and turned her head only to see her teacher with that frozen scowl as he pointed directly below her feet. She scrunched her eyebrows and slowly followed his lead before finally looking at her desk. At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary school desk donned with a paper and quill. She slowly shook her head, not understanding, but then her eyes caught on something that was sticking out of the corner. A certain earthy something.

If anyone ever thought that she could get any paler, they never saw Luna scared. She slowly bent herself down and glanced at the other students. All eyes were avoiding her quiet but knowing gaze. She turned her head back towards the desk, let her hand drift over the slit between the cover and the inside... and opened her desk.

"Miss Lovegood?"

"Yes Professor?"

"Please see me after class."


End file.
